Cartoon Animator. In 1934, he joined Walt Disney Studios and quickly rose through the artistic ranks. He did his first animation for the short "Mickey's Elephant" in 1936 and another Mickey Mouse short, "The Brave Little Tailor," in 1938. Although he did noteworthy animation in various shorts, he is primarily known for his work on the Disney features, starting with his animation of the Seven Dwarfs in "Snow White." He shared the animation of the title characters in "Pinocchio" 1940 and "Bambi" 1942. He created such memorable characters as the wicked stepmother in "Cinderella" 1950, the Queen of Hearts in "Alice in Wonderland" 1951, Captain Hook in "Peter Pan," the title characters in "Lady and the Tramp" and the Three Good Fairies in "Sleeping Beauty" 1959. His later work included "101 Dalmatians" 1961, "The Jungle Book" 1967, "Robin Hood" 1973, and "The Rescuers" 1977. After retiring from the studio in 1978, he with co-Disney animator and friend Ollie Johnston wrote four books, "Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life" 1981, "Too Funny for Words" 1987, "Walt Disney's Bambi: The Story and the Film" 1990 and "The Disney Villain" 1993. He died quietly at his home in La Cañada Flintridge, three days after his 92nd birthday.
Cartoon Animator. In 1934, he joined Walt Disney Studios and quickly rose through the artistic ranks. He did his first animation for the short "Mickey's Elephant" in 1936 and another Mickey Mouse short, "The Brave Little Tailor," in 1938. Although he did noteworthy animation in various shorts, he is primarily known for his work on the Disney features, starting with his animation of the Seven Dwarfs in "Snow White." He shared the animation of the title characters in "Pinocchio" 1940 and "Bambi" 1942. He created such memorable characters as the wicked stepmother in "Cinderella" 1950, the Queen of Hearts in "Alice in Wonderland" 1951, Captain Hook in "Peter Pan," the title characters in "Lady and the Tramp" and the Three Good Fairies in "Sleeping Beauty" 1959. His later work included "101 Dalmatians" 1961, "The Jungle Book" 1967, "Robin Hood" 1973, and "The Rescuers" 1977. After retiring from the studio in 1978, he with co-Disney animator and friend Ollie Johnston wrote four books, "Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life" 1981, "Too Funny for Words" 1987, "Walt Disney's Bambi: The Story and the Film" 1990 and "The Disney Villain" 1993. He died quietly at his home in La Cañada Flintridge, three days after his 92nd birthday.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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